The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the new North American trade agreement on Thursday, which contains stricter labor and automobile related regulations, but the annual trade volume of the three countries remained unchanged.
The house of Representatives voted 385-41 to implement the U.S. - Mexico agreement (usmca), with 38 Democrats, two Republicans and an independent member voting against it.
The legislation has bipartisan support, in sharp contrast to Wednesday night's vote on President Trump's impeachment, which only Democrats support.
After the House vote, the bill will be sent to the Senate, although it is not clear when the Republican majority of the Senate will be considered. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader of the Senate, said the bill could be considered after the Senate expected Trump's impeachment trial in January.
The usmca, originally concluded in September 2018, will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) of 1994. Trump has vowed for years to quit or talk about NAFTA, which he accused of sending millions of factory jobs to low wage Mexico.
Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, released usmca last week after reaching an agreement with the trump administration, Canada and Mexico to strengthen labor enforcement provisions and remove some drug patent protection.
Pelosi said she was not worried about the Democratic Party giving trump a political victory at usmca, which is currently trying to impeach him.
"If we can work together to support American working families, it will be a side benefit, if the president wants to make a difference, just give it to him," Pelosi said in the House debate before the vote.
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